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SENATE RESOLUTION
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WHEREAS, Barge transportation and the inland waterways are |
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of vital importance to the movement of cargo in the United |
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States; over 1.2 billion tons are hauled annually along the |
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nation's system of shallow draft channels; and |
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WHEREAS, Inland barge traffic, where feasible, is among |
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the most energy-efficient modes of transporting bulk |
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commodities, yielding approximately 500 ton-miles of goods |
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shipment per gallon of fuel, as opposed to 200 ton-miles and 60 |
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ton-miles for rail and truck traffic, with associated advantages |
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in terms of reduced hydrocarbon and other emissions; and |
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WHEREAS, Along the Gulf Coast of Texas, one of the most |
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valuable shallow draft arteries is the Victoria Barge Canal, |
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which extends approximately 35 miles from the Gulf Intracoastal |
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Waterway at San Antonio Bay to the Pickering Turning Basin south |
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of the city of Victoria; and |
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WHEREAS, Completed in 1968, with a navigable depth of nine |
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feet and a width of 100 feet, the canal underwent improvement |
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between 1995 and 2002, by which it was enlarged to a depth of 12 |
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feet and a width of 125 feet, matching the parameters of the Gulf |
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Intracoastal Waterway; and |
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WHEREAS, The Port of Victoria, located with its industrial |
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park at the inland terminus, combines with other facilities along |
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the canal to contribute 9,000 jobs, generate $1.2 billion in |
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annual revenue, and produce over $52 million each year in state |
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and local taxes derivative of marine terminal activity; and |
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WHEREAS, Ideally situated for purposes of intermodal |
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shipments, the canal and port have proximity to Houston, San |
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Antonio, and Corpus Christi and serve as a convenient hub with |
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links to Union Pacific and other railroads and to United States |
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Highways 59, 77, and 87, as well as I-10, I-37, and I-35; and |
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WHEREAS, Historically, the Victoria Barge Canal has been |
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maintained and dredged by the United States Army Corps of |
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Engineers; federal funding for such purposes is secure through |
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fiscal year 2007, but not for fiscal year 2008 or thereafter |
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because of an inexplicable spending cut by the United States |
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Congress; and |
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WHEREAS, Continued federal support for the facility is |
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vital to its operation and serves worthy goals of transportation |
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efficiency, regional and state economic vitality, and commercial |
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trade both domestically and with our international neighbors; |
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now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the Senate of the State of Texas, 80th |
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Legislature, hereby respectfully urge the Congress of the United |
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States to restore federal maintenance and dredging funds for the |
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Victoria Barge Canal for fiscal year 2008 and beyond; and, be it |
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further |
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RESOLVED, That the secretary of the senate forward |
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official copies of this Resolution to the president of the United |
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States, to the speaker of the house of representatives and the |
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president of the senate of the United States Congress, and to all |
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the members of the Texas delegation to the congress with the |
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request that this resolution be officially entered in the |
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Congressional Record as a memorial to the Congress of the United |
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States of America. |